OECD Reports Second Annual Decline in Permanent Immigration

The OECD reported a second consecutive annual decline in permanent immigration across its 38 member countries in 2025, with 6.1 million new permanent immigrants recorded, down 1.6% from 2024. The total remained 12% above 2019 levels, according to the organisation’s International Migration Outlook 2026, published November 12.

The report describes permanent migration, a measure that can include some changes in immigration status and movement within free-movement areas, not only arrivals from outside member countries. Its figures show contrasting trends by destination and migration category: permanent labour migration rose 13% in 2025, while permanent humanitarian migration fell 26% compared with the previous year.

The United States remained the largest OECD destination, with more than 1.2 million permanent immigrants, despite a 14% year-on-year decline. Canada recorded a 19% drop to 393,800, and the United Kingdom saw a 32% decline to 295,800. OECD migration division head Jean-Christophe Dumont said the overall figures concealed substantial differences among countries. He linked Canada’s fall to policies limiting permanent and temporary immigration amid a housing crisis, and the...